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Roman Republic. C. Antestius AR Denarius (3.81g, 19mm). Rome Mint, BCE 146.

Obv: C•ANTESTI (ANTE ligate) to l. Head of Roma right, X below chin.

Rev: ROMA in exergue. The Dioscuri, each holding spear, riding right; dog running right, both fore-feet raised, below horses.

Ref: Antestia 1; Crawford 219/1e; BMCRR Rome 859.

Provenance: Ex-Artemide Aste srl e-Auction 11, Lot 236 (San Marino, 26 January 2020).

Numis. Notes: Spots of porosity/roughness, but overall good metal. A lively hound enjoying the hunt!

Hist. Notes: Although hounds were popular on Greek coinage as well, Roman Republican denarii provide much more varied depictions of the breeds and contexts of dogs in their society. This issue from Moneyer C. Antestius is notable for illustrating what today might be described as a “lion cut,” popular for poodles and other water dogs. The dog itself (or puppy?) is sometimes identified as a proto-poodle or water spaniel of some sort – a working dog. The “lion cut” is meant to permit buoyancy and warmth as the dog retrieved fowl from water. A similar breed may be portrayed on the denarius of L. Caesius, but in a distinctly domestic setting, hinting that, already in antiquity, canine coiffure may have been as much about fashion as function.

Album: All Coins

Categories: Roman Coins

Tags: #Animals #Republican #Roman #Silver

Coin-in-hand video here.
Roman Imperial. Faustina II (Augusta, 161 – 175) AR Denarius (3.21g, 19mm). Rome Mint, temp. Marcus Aurelius (Augustus, 161 – 180), Lucius Verus (co-Augustus, 161 – 169).
Obverse: FAUSTINA AVGVSTA. Draped bust right, gazing slightly upward.
Reverse: HILARITAS. Hilaritas standing left, holding cornucopia and palm frond set on ground.
Reference: RIC III Aurelius 686; RSC 111; Göbl MIR 18, Fa15-4/10b.
Pedigree: Ex-Artemide Aste srl e-Auction 11, Lot 450 (San Marino, 26 January 2020).
Notes: Fine style obverse die. Nick on Faustina’s neck below jawline. Attractive iridescent tone. Flow lines. Slightly off-center obverse (~10% to 2h).

Categories: Roman Coins

Tags: #Roman #Showcase #Silver

Tarsos, Cilicia AR Stater (10.66g, 22.5mm, 1h). temp. Mazaios, Satrap of Cilicia, BC 361 – 334.

Obv: BLTRZ (Baaltars) in Aramaic to right. Baal of Tarsos seated left, holding eagle, grain ear, grapes, and scepter; TR (in Aramaic) to lower left, M (in Aramaic) below throne.

Rev: MZDI. Lion attacking bull left; monogram below.

Ref: SNG Levante 106; Casabonne Series 2, Group C. Cf. BMC 53; Babelon 695.

Provenance: (See the “Provenance Chart” for this coin.) Aside from being an aesthetically impressive specimen, this coin has an important provenance, illustrating the modern history of ancient coins through its intersection with key developments of the late 20th century (the rise and fall of “investment fund” ancient coins, led by Bruce McNall’s Athena Fund; the highly publicized first ever major auction of encapsulated ancient coins; and changes in the laws and practices surrounding cultural property and international trade in ancient coins).

Ex-CNG e-Auction 455 (30 Oct 2019), Lot 168 [no provenance given prior to Heritage 2002]; J.B. (Edmonton, d. 2019) Collection; purchased from Calgary Coin Galleries (Robert Kokotailo), Autumn 2004; Heritage Auctions Signature Sale 269 (New York, 27 Jul 2002), Lot 11134; Dr. Joseph M. Seventko Collection; CNG MBS XXIX (30 Mar 1994), Lot 252 (ill. on p. 25); Sotheby’s w/ Numismatic Fine Arts, “Greek and Roman Coins” [Athena Fund Sale II] (Zurich, 27 Oct 1993), Lot 808.1 (part of 2, this rev. ill.).

Almost certainly from the well-known but unpublished “Tarsus Hoard” (late 1970s) that flooded the American market in the early 1980s w/ perfectly preserved examples of this previously rare type (Bing, Daniel J. 1998. “Datames and Mazaeus: The Iconography of Revolt and Restoration in Cilicia.” Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte 47 (1): 41-76.: p. 63, note 6, and p. 73).

Ex-ICG (AU53) #5571290112 (removed from slab, Feb 2021, originally slabbed c. 2001-2002)

Categories: Greek Coins

Tags: #Animals #Greek #Pedigreed #Showcase #Silver

PHOTO OF COIN IN ANACS HOLDER AVAILABLE HERE

Thracian Dynasts / Geto-Dacians. Koson, with Marcus Junius Brutus, AR Drachm.
Unknown mint (Skythia, Olbia?), circa 44 – 42 BC.
Obv: Roman consul accompanied by two lictors; BR monogram to left; KOΣΩΝ in exergue.
Rev: Eagle standing left on scepter, holding wreath in talon.
Ref: Fischer-Bossert (2016) Type B. cf. RPC I 1701 (AV Stater). For Drachm, see W. Fischer-Bossert (2016) “ΚΟΣΩΝ ΔΡΟΥΕΙΣ” in Festschrift Salzmann.
Pedigree: Ex-Silver City Auctions (Findlay, OH USA), 17 Dec 2019, Lot 228 (same coin previously unsold or unpaid at prior Silver City auctions). ANACS Certification # 6001074 (click for ANACS lookup)

Album: All Coins

Categories: Greek Coins Provincial Roman Coins

Tags: #Animals #Celts & Imitatives #Greek #Historic #Imperatorial #J & J Family Collection #Rare #Republican #Roman #Showcase #Silver

Roman Republic. Gaius Marcius Censorinus AR Denarius (3.80g, 18mm). Rome mint, 88 BC.
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right.

Reverse: CX (above), C•CENSORI (below). Horse galloping right. Serpent entwined staff in exergue.

References: Crawford 346/2b; RSC Marcia 19.

Pedigree: JJF Collection. Uncertain, purchased by CSJ ca. 2010 (+/- a few years).

Numis. Notes:These were struck with a variety of controls; this one, with the serpent-entwined-staff is a bit rare, and desirable because it’s rather bold & dramatic for a control symbol.

Hist. Notes: Once Sulla was done with his First Civil War (by about 87 BC), and his Mithradatic War, he marched his way back to Rome so he could team up with future Triumvirs Pompey and Crassus to wage another (Sulla’s Second Civil War). His opponents were the Marius-Cinna faction, led by Gaius Marius (dead in the first), his son (killed in 82), and Cinna (killed 84).

Gaius Marcius Censorinus was among the “last men standing,” captured after being defeated at the decisive Battle of the Colline Gate (Kalends of Nov, 82). Sulla ordered him executed and had his severed head sent to the remaining Marian army, which promptly deserted their leader Marius the Younger, who then promptly committed suicide.

Categories: Roman Coins

Tags: #Animals #J & J Family Collection #Rare #Republican #Roman #Silver

Roman Republic. Q. Titius AR Denarius (3.98g, 19.5mm). Rome mint, 90 BC.

Obverse: Head of Bacchus or Liber right, wreathed with ivy.

Reverse: Pegaus right. Q•TITI inscribed on tablet below.

References: Crawford 341/2; SRCV 239; Sydenham 692; Titia 2.

Pedigree: Jackson & Jacobs Family Collection. Purchased by CSJ from Forum Ancient Coins (#RR43729) between c. 2005 & 2013.

Notes:Ex-jewelry, bezel removed. Toned.

Categories: Roman Coins

Tags: #Animals #J & J Family Collection #Republican #Roman #Silver

Purchased from Colosseum Coin Exchange Mail Bid Sale No. 59, 22 Nov 1991. This coin was my first-ever auction purchase. (More: “Catalog Collection Favorites” page.)

Attica, Aegina (Saronic Gulf Islands) AR Drachm (5.0g, 19.5mm). Circa 404-375 BCE.

Obverse: Testudo Graeca, tortoise (or “land turtle”) with segmented shell containing 13 plates.

Reverse: Large incuse square with two pellets in one of five-compartment skew pattern.

References: SNG Cop 520; Millbank Pl II, 16 (Period V; 404 – 375 BC)

Provenance: Ex-Colosseum Coin Exchange (Ira Teitelbaum, Hazlet NJ), MBS 59 (22 Nov 1991), Lot 2.

Notes: See also earlier archaic style Sea Turle stater.
Located in the Saronic Gulf between Attica and the Peloponnese, Aegina held a strong commercial position in maritime trade, making it a site of competition with neighbors (most famously Athens).

Aegina is thought to have been the first European mint to introduce coinage to “the West,” c. early 6th cent. BCE. According to Ephorus of Kyme it was established by Pheidon of Argos c. 650, though modern historians have claimed the date was probably no earlier than 550 (Milbank 1924; see also Numiswiki, Turtles).

Aegina’s ~12.2g stater was widely adopted as monetary standard (~6.1g for the drachm, 1g obol). The sea turtle style stater was struck until either the end of the Peloponnesian War in 404 (Milbank 1924) or Athens’ military victory over Aegina around 457 (Kraay 1976), after which the design switched to the land tortoise. (The tortoise had also appeared on an earlier electrum stater).

The exact reason is a matter of some speculation. Milbank’s 1924 conclusion still holds: “No plausible explanation has as yet been put forward for this change from the sea-tortoise to a land turtle.” Maybe it was a show of gratitude and honorary tribute to a military ally to whom the land tortoise was sacred (perhaps Sparta or Thyreatis [Milbank 1924]). Perhaps the design was switched after being conquered by Athens, reflecting Aegina’s loss of their proud navy and maritime privileges (Kraay 1976). Neither theory has achieved a decisive level of evidence.

Categories: Greek Coins

Tags: #Animals #Classic #Greek #J & J Family Collection #Pedigreed #Rare #Showcase #Silver

Attica, Athens AR Tetradrachm (16.9g, 24mm, 2h). Circa 454 – 404 BCE.

Obverse: Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet ornamented with three laurel leaves and vine scroll.

Reverse: AΘE. Owl standing right, head facing; olive sprig and crescent moon behind, all within incuse square.

References: Sear GCV 2526; HGC 4, 1597; SNG Copenhagen 31-40; Kroll 8.

Provenance: Jackson & Jacobs Family Collection, purchased with my mother & father circa Aug. 1986 (to 1988?) at a Paris coin shop on la Rue Vivienne. (I could try to guess which, based on photos and trying to remember, but there are so many it’s hard to be sure. Back then we didn’t know how important it would become to record provenance. Just for fun, try: https://www.google.com/search?q=La+Rue+Vivienne+numismatique.)

Although both of my parents would take me to the coin shops while traveling (and to museums and bookstores and everywhere else), it was really my father who “collected” along with me. I’m sure my mother enjoyed it, and she still appreciates Greek coins (or seems to), but only my father was interested in building a coin collection and library.

Numis. Notes: Attractive, fine style Athena w/ subtle smile, well-centered on a compact flan (rev. slightly off-center). Nicely toned. Punch mark & scuff on reverse.

Categories: Greek Coins

Tags: #Animals #Classic #Greek #Historic #J & J Family Collection #Large #Showcase #Silver

Pedigree: Ex-Auctiones GmbH Auction e-27, Lot 35 (Bern, 15 June 2014)

Album: Sold Coins

Categories: Roman Coins

Tags: #Classic #Historic #Roman #Showcase #Silver #Sold

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• Return to: Provenance Glossary (to Private Collections).

Caracalla AR Denarius. Rome, 201 CE.
Obv: ANTONINVS PIVS AVG. Laureate and draped bust right.
Rev: PART MAX PONT TR P IIII. Two Parthian captives seated on either side at the foot of a trophy of arms and arms.
Ref: RIC IV 54b; BMCRE 262; RSC 175.
Provenance: Purchased from Rudi Smits (d. 2014; Antwerp, Belgium), RCA (Roman Coin Auctions/Nathan Hochrein), Auction 1 (9 June 2013).

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Categories: Roman Coins

Tags: #Captives & Enemies #Roman #Silver